- Rep. Ashley Hinson accused the administration of diverting FEMA funds intended for disaster relief to support migrants, claiming taxpayer money was used to aid illegal immigrants instead of Americans affected by disasters like Hurricane Helene (Gazette, 10/9/24).
- Hinson based her claims on information from a health appropriations committee hearing, where she questioned FEMA's spending priorities and cited resource shifts, such as the deployment of federal air marshals and VA doctors to the border (Gazette, 10/9/24).
- FEMA denied these allegations, stating there is no intermingling of disaster relief and migrant support funds, with each program funded separately by Congress (Gazette, 10/9/24).
- The Disaster Relief Fund remains dedicated solely to disaster response and individual assistance, ensuring that immediate needs from major events like Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton are met.
- A potential vulnerability exists in public perception and oversight, as allegations of funding diversion—even if unsubstantiated—can erode trust in disaster management agencies and complicate future funding debates.
Ashley Hinson Accused Administration Of Diverting FEMA Funds To Migrants In 2024 According to The Gazette, "Hinson, though, latched on to the attack in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. In it, she wrote, 'FEMA has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars supporting illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, Americans impacted by horrific natural disasters like Hurricane Helene are left in the lurch.' She also wrote, 'The Administration can try & spin it all they want, but there's no excuse for spending tax dollars bailing out sanctuary cities or incentivizing illegal immigration. FEMA should be solely focused on helping Americans.'" [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 10/9/24]
Ashley Hinson Said Her Claims Were Based On Committee Hearing In 2024 According to The Gazette, "Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Hinson said her post was based on a clip from a health appropriations committee hearing where she questioned FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about the administration's spending priorities. Hinson expressed concern about taxpayer dollars being used to support illegal immigration and the need for FEMA to focus solely on helping American citizens. She cited examples of resources being diverted to the Southern border, such as federal air marshals and doctors from the VA. She said the intention behind her posts was to highlight these issues." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 10/9/24]
FEMA Denied Diverting Disaster Funds To Border In 2024 According to The Gazette, "FEMA says it has enough funding in the short-term to address immediate needs for both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, and that there is no intermingling of funding between these two programs. Congress funds the migrant and disaster relief programs separately. Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 10/9/24]